


Pranks

by sariloire



Series: Ashae Lavellan [27]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-02
Updated: 2015-11-02
Packaged: 2018-05-04 14:28:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5337491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sariloire/pseuds/sariloire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sera sets out to drive a wedge between Solas and Ashae. Her plans never seem to work out like they should.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pranks

Ashae couldn’t find her favourite staff. She pushed aside older staves, grumbling under her breath the entire time she was sorting through them.

“I put it here  _myself_ , I  _know_  it was in this trunk.” A cracked staff hit the floor and rolled away. “I practiced with it yesterday.”

The Inquisition had been in Skyhold for less than two months, things were still crazy and out of order, but the missing staff was going to bother her until she found it. Solas, Dorian, and Vivienne had all had an input in the design, and her companions and advisors had presented it to her as a symbol of appreciation for what she had done to save the Inquisition in Haven.

Ashae sat next to the trunk, placing the older staff that had rolled away back into the box. She looked at the sun shining through the window of her room and decided that she was going to have to continue the search later. Only the previous day she had finally convinced Cassandra that she was healed completely from the fall at Haven, and after a month of begging, the warrior was going to teach her the basics of using a blade. Ashae had been training her body ever since reaching Haven, and was proud of the slight gain in muscle she had managed in the short time. She hoped it would be enough to handle the sword.

She didn’t plan on using a sword in battle, she was perfectly capable at keeping up in fights with her ice magic. But she also knew that she would be facing trials more difficult than ever before, and knowing how to defend herself if magic wasn’t an option could only help her odds of surviving.

She stood up, dusting herself off. Skyhold still needed a lot of repairs, but she hoped it would come to feel like home one day. Glancing over the railing of the staircase leading from her chambers, making sure it was empty, Ashae stripped off her comfortable day clothes and dug through the few possessions she had scavenged since leaving Haven, looking for something to wear that was easier to move around in.

* * *

  
Solas walked into the rotunda, glancing up as he entered the room, then back down to the book he had been engrossed in for several hours now. It had even kept him up late the night before, as the book recounted some of the history of the Elvhen people, and things that had happened to them since the fall of the Dales. There was so much he had missed during his sleep. Even tomes like the one he was reading, that often got facts wrong, were worth studying to find what bits of true history had been accounted for.

He reached his chair and pulled it back without looking, a clatter drawing his eyes from the book. An ornate staff, topped with a spiral of silver and set with gems, rolled across the floor. His eyes narrowed at the sight. He had never seen the staff without its owner, Ashae, since it had been presented to her.

Putting his book down on the desk, after marking his place, he stooped and picked it up, testing its weight again in his hand. The staff was a thing of beauty, really.

_‘Just like its owner.’_

The thought passed through his mind, unbidden. Solas blinked, staring down at the piece of wood he was holding. It was  _true_ , he did indeed think of Ashae as beautiful, but that was a direction he worked hard to steer his thoughts from. Ever since their kiss in the Fade, he had worked to prevent his imagination from focusing on ideas that he knew he would never allow himself to act upon.

The staff  _was_  beautiful, though, of course. Because it was strong and sturdy, built to last. Built for battle. It had its differences from Ashae in that respect. Solas had seen how hard she fought, of course, he would never deny that. She was strong; she had managed to find the camp in the wilderness after escaping from Haven with many broken bones, after all. But she had confided in him that battle is not what she was trained for in her clan, books were what she enjoyed. It was a constant worry in the back of his mind that she wasn’t built for grueling battles, and it was with a large amount of guilt that he thought of her having to fight only because of the many, many mistakes he had made.

Solas glanced upward, he didn’t know where the Inquisitor was likely to be at this time of day. Her attention was being pulled in so many different directions. It seemed that everyone needed her help these days, and he didn’t go seeking for her when he could work an issue out on his own. He didn’t like how his heart seemed to beat differently when his gaze caught hers. He didn’t like how the corners of his mouth lifted on their own when he saw her smile, even if it wasn’t aimed towards him.

He was in a precarious situation, and until he had a better grip on his emotions, Solas felt it was best to keep time spent with Ashae at a minimum.

Twice since they had arrived at Skyhold, he had found himself abruptly forced into circumstances with her that had been unexpected. The first had been late one evening when a book he was reading had went missing when he left his desk for dinner. After asking Dorian and Varric, they pointed him to the garden. Upon entering the garden, he had stumbled upon Ashae, singing quietly to herself while digging in the dirt, planting elfroot. It had been hours before he eventually left, covered in dirt, after they had planted a variety of herbs and plants throughout the garden.

He had convinced her to not let his presence stop her from singing, and it had been the better part of a week before he stopped hearing her quiet song in his dreams. Now he knew why Varric called her Robin.

And he had forgotten to look for his book, which appeared back on his desk a few days later.

The second time had been just as unexpected, and again included a missing item from his desk. This time it was a cake he had brought back from a trip to Val Royeaux. A tiny, white, cream-filled cake, topped with frilly icing. His favourite kind.

Solas had left it on his desk in a box, and went to ask a question of Cullen. Upon returning, it was gone. His book had been one thing, but the cake, a delicacy he wouldn’t get again until another trip to Val Royeaux, caused him to start asking questions. No one in the castle seemed to know where it had gone, until he almost ran into Ashae when she was entering the rotunda as she popped an icing-covered finger into her mouth.

“Oh, Solas!” She exclaimed, startled by his sudden appearance. She was holding a tiny open box that contained half a cake. He recognized the box, and she must have noticed his eyes lingering on it, because she held it out to him, a smile on her face with just a tiny bit of icing right beside her lips. He dragged his eyes away from the spot with effort.

“This was in my room just now! It’s one of those amazing frilly cakes from Val Royeaux.” She continued holding the box out, her smile growing wider. “I remember you mentioned how much you liked them, so I thought I’d see if you wanted to share it with me.”

Solas had wondered, of course, how the cake had gone missing from his desk to appear in Ashae’s room. But he couldn’t help returning her smile as he took the half of cake from her. He ate it slowly while speaking with her. It was the most delicious cake he had ever had, by far.

And here he was again, two weeks later, and something had taken place concerning his desk, an item, and there was a connection to Ashae. It was time to get to the bottom of this.

He turned and walked out of the rotunda, carrying the staff with him. His eyes scanned the entrance hall, but didn’t catch a glimpse of the familiar blonde head.

“Looking for Robin, Chuckles?” Varric was sitting at his usual spot, scratching away with a quill. At Solas’ nod, the corner of Varric’s mouth turned up in a familiar grin. “She’s out front with the Seeker.”

“Thank you, Master Tethras.” Solas responded, already moving towards the entrance to the castle. He was halfway down the steps when his ears caught the sound of Cassandra’s fierce tone, followed by Ashae’s own voice, almost matching in fierceness. The two were in the middle of the courtyard between the castle and the tavern, a few people watching them from a distance. Solas moved closer until he could make out their words.

“Inquisitor! You can’t take those risks on the field! Don’t extend your reach so far, or an enemy could get in under your sword!” Cassandra pulled back her own sword, a heavy frown on her face. She reached a hand out to where Ashae was kneeling on the ground.

Ashae shook her head and rolled back on her heels, leaping up, and Solas stopped in his tracks at the sight. When she turned to face Cassandra, the midday sun glinted off the sweat that was running in rivets down her face and neck, soaking the dark blue wrapping she had around her torso. Her bare arms, which he had imagined so weak from never having utilized them besides with magic, showed nicely defined muscles. Her legs were wrapped as well, and the muscles in her thighs were engaged as she propelled herself off the ground, her feet bare.

In that moment she looked more like an Elvhen warrior, and he found his previous worries about her body not being sturdy enough for battle to be severely misplaced. Ashae stuck her sword in the ground and reached her hands up, running them through her sweaty hair and pushing it back from her face as she turned and looked in the direction he was standing. A smile lifted the corners of her mouth and she raised a hand in the air. Solas returned the gesture with a smile of his own, and only then realised that Dorian was standing beside him on the stairs.

“Enjoying the view?” There was laughter in his voice, hiding behind the innocent words. Solas raised an eyebrow.

“I am glad to see the Seeker training the Inquisitor. It can never hurt a mage to have a backup plan for defending themselves.”

Dorian rolled his eyes, pushing past Solas to continue walking down the steps. “I would say that you’re blind, Solas, but I think you were paying close attention to how she was handling that  _sword_.” He threw the words over his shoulder, flashing a smile while he made his way closer to where Cassandra and Ashae were training. “Inquisitor, are you planning on abandoning us mages? You look ready for battle with that blade.”

Ashae smiled ruefully at Dorian. She was breathing heavily as she wiped sweat from her brow. “It’s good physical activity, the Inquisitor needs to know how to take care of herself if necessary.” She turned her attention back to Solas, who had moved forward until he was standing near their sparring circle. “My staff!” Ashae moved forward, her hand outstretched. “I didn’t know what had happened to it, where did you find it?”

“It was at my desk just now.” Solas handed the staff over, wanting any reason to appear that would call him back into the castle and away from the sight before him. Glowing with sweat from the exertion, Ashae was smiling up at him as she took her weapon back. Her less than usual amount of clothing, the close proximity, the hair pushed back from her face in a damp wave.

He didn’t have to look at Dorian to know the man would be smirking widely.

“Good luck with your training, Inquisitor. I did not mean to interrupt.”

“So you approve of me learning to use a blade?” Ashae leaned on the staff, still gazing up at him with those clear green eyes he found it so easy to get lost in. He took a step back, mentally shaking himself, reminding himself that he was supposed to be staying away from situations like these.

“I believe being well-versed in various methods of battle can only help.” Solas spoke slightly faster, anxious to get away so that his heart could go back to beating at a normal pace. “And I’m sure getting a stronger physique would be-“

“An enjoyable side benefit?” Ashae tilted her head slightly, a small, slow smile spreading across her lips as she looked up at him with eyes that seemed a bit darker than usual.

Only the knowledge that Dorian and Cassandra were standing nearby, trying to eavesdrop on their conversation, kept Solas from responding the way he wanted to. But he returned the heated gaze. He knew how to play this game with her, the one they had been playing ever since Haven.

“Indeed.” He dropped his voice slightly as he reached past her. He was careful not to touch her, but he heard a slight hitch in her breath as he pulled the sword she had been using out of the ground, holding it out to her. “You should get back to your training, Inquisitor. I hear that learning how to properly handle a sword requires focus. Some would even say  _indomitable_.”

Ashae reached out and gripped the sword, holding it between them for a moment before pulling it to herself. “I’ll be sure to let you know when I’ve learnt more. Indomitable focus needs to be tested, after all.”

She turned and walked back towards Cassandra without looking at him again, and from the expressions on their faces, both Dorian and Cassandra had overheard their last exchange. Solas lifted his chin in a farewell to Dorian and returned to the rotunda.

That was one exchange he wasn’t going to chastise himself for having.

* * *

  
“If we don’t ease up on them, those two will be in bed by the end of the month.” Dorian drank from the glass sitting in front of him, shaking his head at the counter. “You should have  _heard_ them! I didn’t know Solas had that kind of talk in him.”

Varric chuckled, taking a drink as well. “So our plan has worked perfectly so far. We got them both pushed together at every chance since we got to this place, and they’re already all hot and bothered.”

“Don’t tell Sera what happened. She thought the pranks would get them to argue. She’s all for ‘stopping the elves from banging bits’.”

“I won’t tell if you won’t.”


End file.
